Unloading apparatus.



F. s. SNYDER & A. I. BURT. UNLOADING APPARATUS.

- APPLICATION FILED ulna. 1908. I

94 ,2 2, Patented Jam-11, 1910. V 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

5-2- 1 v HM 1 0i l'ucoaes VIuIIIIIuIII/IIIIIIII P. S. SNYDER & A. F.BURT.

UNLOADING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION nun 11111.18. 1908.

946,282. Patented Jan. 11, 1910.

1 SHEETS-SHEET 2. 79 72? 37 5] vemtozs $51 wattozmew 6L 1 F. S. SNYDER &A. P. BURT.

UNLOADING APPARATUS. ArrLmA rion mum In. 18. 190.8.

' Patented Jan, 11, 1910@ I WITNESSES 0% 4% J JENTORSI I v v ATTORNEYSF. S. SNYDER ,& A. P. BURT.

UNLOADING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED 311.18. 19011 946,282, PatentedJan. 11, 1910.

4 Sums-sum 4.

' 4, v I 444, 9W

UNITED STATES PATENT 'oEEIoE.

FREDERICK S. SNYDER AND ALONZO F. BURT, 0F WHITEHALL, NEW YORK.

UNLOADING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 18, 1903. serial'no. 411,463.

To all'whom itma/y concern:

Be it known that we, FREoEnIoK S. SNYDER and ALoNzo F. BURT, citizens ofthe United I car without handling, and which is so arranged that it maybe readily raised or lowered, so that all the material in the boat. orvessel may be removed, and which apparatus may be raised out of the wayof the boat or vessel when not in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide means which may beoperated continuously, and which may be employed to raisecoal, ashes,sand, or other material and transfer it. from a boat, car or othercontainer, and which is so constructed that the elevating means isproperly protected and will not be interfered with while operating theapparatus.

lVith these and other objects in View, the invention will be hereinaftermore particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings,which form a part of this specification, and will then be pointed out inthe claims at the end of the description.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section through a boat showingthe apparatus in full lines in position to receive the material and todischarge the same into a car located convenient to the apparatus. Fig.2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the apparatus. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of the apparatus showing its position while unloading a boatthat has a high deck load. Fig. 4 is a detail plan, partly in section,of

. one of the buckets and platform. Fig. 5. is

a side elevation, partly in section, showing a Somewhat different formof apparatus. Fig. 6 is an enlarged side elevation, partly in section,of the unloading apparatus shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a transversesection of the lower portion of the apparatus. Fig. 8 is a detailperspective view of one of the buckets used in connection with theapparatus of Figs. 5 and 6. Figs. 9 and 10 show how the frame may bemade of structural steel; and Fig. 11 shows how two chains may be used.

While the apparatus is shown-as applied to unloading a boat or vessel,and as if the frame was made of sheet metal, it will be understood thatthe apparatus may be employed for various purposes and in variousconnections, and that the frame work as well any of the other parts maybe made of structural steel or other material suitably braced, so thatthe same may be light and strong, and that the frame may be of anysuitable form to adapt 1t for-the various uses to which it may be putwithout departing from the character of the invention.

The vessel 10 may represent a canal boat having the usual hatchwayoropening 11 through which material may be elevated, and adapted to belowered in the hatchway is an elevating apparatus 12.- This apparatusmay be variously constructed. As

shown the frame 13, is of metal, and in practice we may make the saidframe in a skeleton form by employing steel and suitably bracing theparts together in substantially the same way as is employed in buildingcolumns, girders and the like, though the construction of the frame maybe varied as desired. The sides 14 of the frame are held apart andsuitably braced by bolts 15, and said frame is pivoted to a bar or shaft16 arranged upon any suitable support as a base 17. The frame may befixed or it may be adjustable along a shaft to adapt it to be adjustedto various positions, or the entire support may be moved lengthwise ofthe vessel as will be presently described,

and to permit the apparatus to be placed in terial convenient to thehatchway may be entirely removed; and while only one unloading apparatusis shown two or more may be employed so that the unloading may takeplace from several hatchways of the vessel at the same time. Thepivoting of the frame to the shaft 16 permits the apparatus to be raisedor lowered as the material is unloaded, and also permits the apparatusto be raised entirely free of the boat or vessel, which is verydesirable, and in fact necessary where the boat is provided with masts.To secure this result, we may provide on the frame 13 of the apparatusan eye bolt or other attaching means 18 at any suitable point, andconnected to this bolt is a cable or other flexible connection 19, whichpasses over a pulley 20, Fig. 1, located upon the frame 21, and saidcable passes around a second pulley 22, and from there toa drum 23,which may be operated by means of a motor 24 or otherwise. The saidmotor 24 may be so arranged that the shaft 16 will serve as the armatureshaft, or as a continuation thereof. By this means the apparatus may beraised or lowered when the motor is operated, and if desired may bemoved entirely clear of the boat or vessel 10.

The frame 13 has a sprocket wheel 25 secured to the shaft 16, andpassing around the sprocket wheel is an endless chain 26, which may beof any suitable form, and said chain also passes around a sprocket wheel27 secured to a transverse shaft 28 located near the outer portion orlower end of the apparatus, so that when the shaft 16 is rotated, thesprocket wheels will impart movement to the chain in the directionindicated by the arrows. The frame 13 may be of any desired form andlength, and is preferably curved, and to the chain 26 issecured aplurality of buckets 29. These buckets may be variously constructedaccording to the use to which they may be put. For unloading pulpwood,they are preferably flat, and have one edge thereof slightly curved toengage the logs of pulpwood, and projecting from the inner edge thereofare lugs 30 in which is held a shaft 31. This shaft 31-is provided atits ends with rolls 32,

and said rolls have recesses therein, so that the shafts 31 will notroject entirely therethrough, and as said uckets aremoved by the chain26 the rollers 32 will travel along the track 33 in their upwardmovement, and along the track 34 on its downward movement. The track 33comprises an inner member 35 and an outer member 36 projecting inwardfrom each side 14 of the frame of the apparatus, and the track 34comprises a single member projecting inward from each frame. The buckets29 are provided near their upper edge with rollers 37, which are held inbrackets on said buckets, and projecting from said buckets are bars orbrackets 38 on the lower ends of which are rollers 39, which are adaptedto engage the lower rail or member of the track 33, so as to properlyhold the buckets in their pro er position while carrying the logs of pupwood upward to be discharged. The member 36 of the track 33 is somewhatextended to guide'the logs as they are discharged, and the sides 14 ofthe frame of the apparatus are somewhat enlarged, as at 40, so as toform a guide or chute for the pulpwood as the latter is discharged,particularly when the apparatus is used in the position shown in Fig. 3for a high deck load, and as the pulpwood is discharged it passes to aninclined platform or chute 41, and from there to a car or othercontainer 42, which has its track arranged convenient to the apparatus.

To cause the buckets to move within the frame during the downwardmovement. thereof, after discharging the material, we provide one ormore trips 43. These trips 43 are in the form of bars which projectinward from the buckets 29, and as the chain 26 passes around thesprocket 25 it will engage the pin, stop or projection 44, and will tiltthe bucket and swing the same with the shaft 31 as a pivot, so as toforce its outer end inward, and to cause the roll 37 near the outersurface thereof to ride upon the inner side or face of the track 34. Theframe is provided with a supplemental track 45', which serves to guidethe rollers '32 and said track has two members 46 and 47 one of which islonger than the other, and both tracks have their ends flared so thatthe friction rolls 32 will readily pass between the same in,theirdownward movement. The track 34 is somewhat shorter than the track 33,and as will be seen when the buckets are passing downward after thesam ehave been forced inward by means of the bar 43 and pin or projection 44,the said buckets will travel along the inner surface of the track 34with the rolls 39 and 37 supporting the same. By this means the bucketsare moved within the frame on the downward movement so that they willnot project'beyond the outer surface thereof, and will thereby beentirely free of any obstructions, and cannot strike or engage any partof the vessel in case the frame of the apparatus should rest against thesame.

The buckets in their upward movement as they pass around the sprocketwheel 27 will engage the inner curved end of the member 36 of track 33,and will automatically open or assume their proper relative position, soas to project beyond the frame in position to receive the pulpwood logs.The buckets 29 are provided centrally thereof with an opening or slot48, and in this opening is adapted to enter a tongue or projection 49 ofa platform 50. This platform 50 may be of any suitable form and hasinward projecting ends sition so as to extend upward, and when arrangedbetween the lugs 54 and 55 will have a different inclination accordingto the position-of the apparatus. The arrangement of the platform notonly makes the same detachable and readily applied to the apparatus, butthe tongue 49 thereof assists in cansing the logs to be always engagedby the buckets.

It'is desirable in many instances to have the lower part of theapparatus frame adjustable to adapt it to move relatively to the otherpart of the apparatus. F or this purpose the frame of the apparatuscomprises two members 57 and 58. These members are pivoted together at55),and to the member 57 is held a worm or segmental gear 60, the teethof which is engaged by a worm or screw 61, which is held in lugs 62 onthe member 58, and has its stem or shaft provided with a handle 63 bymeans of which said member 57 may be moved relatively with respect tothe member 58. \Vhen thus constructed each track 33 and 34 must'bedivided, and at the joint between the members 57 and 58 of the apparatuseach member of each track is provided with a spring or other plate 64,which is adapted to close the space between the joints in the tracks, so

- that the rolls of the buckets will readily pass along said tracks.

The support and frameQl may be made of wood or metal of anysuitableconstruction, and said frame may have its platform 65 providedwit-h wheels 66 on the under surface thereof, which are'adapted totravel along the rails of a track 67 The rails of the track are held tothe ties 6S, and to'the ties is held a third rail 69, along which isadapted to travel one or more wheels 70, each of which is supported by abracket 71 carried by the platform 65. The wheels may be for the purposeof a guide and are so arranged that the weight of the apparatu will not.tip the supporting frame.

p The operation of the apparatus will be readily understood from theforegoing description when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings. In unloading a vessel of pulpwood or like material, it is onlynecessary for the logs to be placed upon the platform 50, and by reasonof its incline they will naturally position themselves so as to restagainst the rail or outer surface platform serving to prevent the logfrom falling into the open space or opening for the passage of thebucket. As the endless chain :26 is operated by imparting motion to thedrive shaft 16 the successive buckets will engage the logs, and willcarry them along the outer surface of the frame '13 as shown in Fig. 2,and when they reach the upper. end of the frame they will fall or bedischarged on to a platform or chute 41, and from there into the car 42or other receptacle providedto receive the logs as they are transferredfrom the boat. In this way it is unnecessary to handle the logs exceptto place them onv the platform, and the appabuckets and their mode ofoperation is substantially the same as already described, ex

cept that there are two bars 72 serving as trips instead of one, and thebuckets are not shown as being provided with rolls near their outeredge. The frame 73 is shown as supported by a shaft 74 to which it ispivotet relatively movable members. This frame is enlarged at its lowerend to form a boot T5, and the lower shaft 76, around which passes theendless chain, is adjustable by having said shaft 76 journaled inmovable boxes 77, and these boxes are engaged by screws 78 to force themin one direction, While springs 79 force the boxes inthe oppositedirection; This'permits the slack in the endless chain to be taken up,and the boot serves to protect the buckets from injury. The platformshown is substantially the same as in the other figures.

. \Vhile We have shown the frame of the apparatus as of a particularform and made curved so as to adapt it for the particular purpose ofunloading boats, and have shown the frame as being solid at the sidesand braced by transverse bolts, it is to be understood that theapparatus may be made to unload or transfer, coal, ashes, sand or othermaterial, and that the form of the apparatus may be variedto suitvarious requirements, as well as to construct the buckets in such a wayas to hold and positively carry the material according to the naturethereof, and that the frame may be made much lighter by constructing thesame as shown in Figs; 9 and 10. In these figures the frame has theU-shaped bars 80 and L-shape-d bars 81, which are joined together by theplates or bars 82, and on the inside thereof if necessary, so as toprovide a light, effective, and

strong frame for the apparatus. 43 of the frame 13, the tongue 49 ofsaid In Fig. 11 the'frame maybe constructedin any suitable way, andinstead of having a single endless chain 26, the buckets may and saidframe is not divided into be operated by a chain having two members 83and Sat, which are properly secured to the axles 85 of the buckets, andare adapted to move along the rails or tracks of the frame 14.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a simple, effective andcontinuously moving carrying means is provided in which the material aspulpwood may be quickly transferred from a boat or other container to asuitable discharge point, that the said device may be longitudinally orvertically adjusted to permit it. to be readily lowered into the boat orto be quickly raised so as to be entirely out of the way ofthe boat whennot in use, and that the device is so constructed that the buckets willnot beinterfered with by any obstruction, as the said buckets afterdischarging the material are made to move entirely within the frame, andtherefore cannot be injured while the apparatus is being operated.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent 1. In a device of the character described, thecombination withv a frame having a double upper track, and a singlelower track, said tracks extending substantially the length of saidframe, of endless carrying means arranged to move within the frame,carriers pivotally held to the endless carrying means and adapted tomove therewith, trips secured to said carriers, and means forautomatically engaging said trips to cause said carriers to be properlypositioned with relation to the return track after the material has beendischarged.

2. The combination with a frame having a double upper track and a singlelower or under track. of shafts journaled in the frame, sprocketssecured to the shafts, endless chain device movable around thesprockets, means for adjusting one of the shafts, means for impartingmotion to the other shaft, a plurality of buckets pivotally held to thechain device, trips projecting from the buckets, and means forsuccessively engaging the trips to move the buckets on their pivots tocause the same to swing in a plane parallel to the chain device for thepurpose set forth.

3. The combination with a frame having a two part double upper track anda two part single lower track, of shafts journaled in the frame. saidframe comprising two members pivotally held together, sprockets securedto the shafts, endless chain device movable around the sprockets, meansfor imparting motion to one of the shafts, a plurality of bucketspivotally held to the chain device, trips projecting from the buckets,and means engaging the trip to move the buckets on their pivots so as tocause the same to swing within the frame.

4. The combination with a frame, of an i side of the buckets and havingrolls on the ends thereof adapted to rest on and travel along apart ofthe frame, bars forming trips projecting from the buckets, a stopcarried by the frame and located near the discharging point of theapparatus and adapted to engage the trips on the buckets so as to swingthe buckets on their pivots.

5. The combination with a frame having a divided double upper track anda divided single lower track, of shafts journaled in the frame saidframe having two parts pivotally held together, sprockets secured to theshaft, endless chain devices movable around the sprockets, means forimpartin motion to one of the shafts, a plurality of buckets pivotallyheld to the chain device, plates for closing the joints between thedivided tracks, trips projecting from the buckets, and a'stopsuccessively engaging the trips to move the buckets on their pivots to,swing the same within the frame.

6. The combination with a frame having an upper track and a single lowertrack, of an endless chain movablewithin the frame, means for impartingmotion to the chain, a

plurality of buckets each pivotally held to 100 the chain and having afiat body portion against which the material to be transferred isadapted to rest, a shaft with rolls held to each bucket, bracketsprojecting from one side of the buckets and having rolls on the 105 endsthereof adapted to rest on and travel along said tracks, bars formingtrips projecting from the buckets, a projection carried by the frame andlocated near the discharging point of the apparatus and adapt- 110 ed toengage the trips on the bucke s so as to swing said buckets on theirpivots to move entirely within the frame after discharging the materialuntil again in position to receive the material to be transferred.

7. The combination with a frame, of an endless chain movable therein, aplurality of shafts secured to said chain and movable therewith, rollerson the ends of said shafts, said chains being connected to said shaftsat a point intermediate of the ends of the latter, an approximately fiatcarrier having ears at one edge pivotally engaging each shaft, meanslocated intermediate of the ends of each carrier and adjacent said shaftfor sustaining the same in operatiye position, and rollers adjacent theopposite edge of said carrier.

8. The combination with a frame, of an endless chain movable therein, aplurality of 94e,2s2 A 5 shafts secured to said chain and movable androllers adjacent the opposite edge of 10 therewith, rollers on the endsof said shafts, said carrier.

Said chains bein connected to said shafts at This specification signedand witnessed a point interme iate of the ends of the .latthis 10th dayof January, A. D. 1908.

her, an approximately flat carrier having FREDERICK S. SNYDER.

ears at one edge pivotally engaging-each ALONZO F. BURT.

shaft, inclined brackets extending from Witnesses: lower edge of eachcarrier and constructed G. C. DONEHUE,

to sustain the latter in operative position, C. W. PRICE-

